1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a large current fuse for automobiles to be installed inside a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art A conventional large current fuse 80 for automobiles as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 has been disclosed (Japanese Patent Registration No. 2637846).
The conventional large current fuse for automobiles consists of a fuse body 81 including a pair of flat plate portions 82, 82 formed of a sheet metal by pressing process, an arm portion 83 provided between the flat plate portions 82 and 82, and a fuse element 84 mounted on the arm portion 83, to which an upper housing 85 and a lower housing 86 are assembled. The upper and lower housings 85 and 86 are so constructed as to sandwich the fuse body 81 therebetween.
However, there has been a drawback with this conventional large current fuse that a visual observation of the fuse element 84 is impossible, because the fuse element 84 is covered with the upper housing 85 and the lower housing 86. In case where the lower housing 86 is formed of a transparent resin or a window 86a is formed in it, the lower housing 86 has to be positioned above the fuse element 84. Therefore, it has been inconvenient that assembling direction of the upper housing 85 and the lower housing 86 to the fuse body 81 is restricted.
Moreover, the cost for the assembling work is high because the upper housing 85 and the lower housing 86 are welded to the fuse body 81, which will incur degradation of productivity of the large current fuse 80 for automobiles.